Power-transmission mechanism.



L VALENTINE. POWEH'TRANSMISSION MECHANISM. mucmou man um. 6! 191; azuzwzu ma :9. 1915.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

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I Patented Oct. 26,1915,

J. VALENTINE. POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1913. RENEW-ED MAR.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

JOHN FALENTINE. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS POWER-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Specification of Application filed January 6, 1913, Serial No. 740,321. Renewed March 19, 1915. Serial No. 15.579.

To t! whom it may concern: f

Be'it known that I, JoHx YALEXTIXE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city ofrchicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Power-Transmission Mechanism, of which I do declare the following to be a fulhclear, and exact vehicles; and more particularly, my invention relates to that classof power transmissionmechanism in which the motion of the driving member is communicated to the driven members, that are united to the separate sections of the driven shaft, through themedium of a cam and friction rollers interposed between the faces of the, cam and the driveii members of the mechanism attached to the adjacent ends of the shaft sections. -The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter described. illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings I have shown portions only of the ad'acent ends of the separate sec tions-of the riyen shaft (usually the rear axle) of a vehicle, and a portion only of the main driving shaft to which revolution will be imparted from a suitable engine. ,Figure 1 is a plan View, the miter pinion on the drive shaft and the miter gear wheel of the transmission. mechanism being shown in crosssection, Fig. 2is a View (upon a larger scale than Fig. 1) showing one-half of the casing that incloses the clutch mechanism removed, and showing certain parts in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a view in section onlines 33 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a view in cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the parts inclosed within the casing, portions being broken away for better illustration.-

A designates the driving shaft. to the end of which is fixed the miter pinion that meshes with a miter-wheel B that is suitably bolted, as at 11. to a web 12 that projects outwardly from one section of the main inclosing'casing of the apparatus.- This casing is shown as consisting of two sections C and C that are united together by bolts 1i passing through the-flanged abutting portions of the casing sections. .The sections. (and C of the main casing are formed with openings in their h ubs through which pass the inner portions ofthe driven shaft sections D and D, and in the hubs of the sections C C of the casing loosely fit the outwardly projecting portions 16 and 17 of the hubs 1S and 19 of the driven members E and E between which hubs and the outer peripheral por tions "2 0 and 21 of the driven members the cams, the rollers and the roller carriers are sustained. Each of the hubs of the driven members E and E is formed with a polygonal opening (see Fig. 4) adapted to receive the correspondingly shaped reduced end of the shaft section D or D, so that movement imparted to each driven member E or E is'transmitted to its corresponding shaft section. 1

The inner portions 18 and 19 of the hubs of the driven members E and E pass loosely through the hub of the central cam ring.

casing, as clearly shown in-Figs. l, 2 and From the sides of the central cam ring F project the cams 23 and 2t and the periphcry of each of these cams 23 and 2t is provided with a series of cam surfaces each fhaving high portions 26 and 27 and intermediate lower portions 28, between which surfaces and the rings formed by the peripheral portions of the driven members E and E are placed the rollers G and g.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown four groups or sets of rollers G and g, althoughI wish it understood that the number, character and arrangement of the rollers may be varried without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the preferred form of the invention. each group of rollers comprises a central roller G that.

is of. slightly larger diameter than the rollers g on each side thereof-and the rollers are maintained in relative position by suitableried. .Each ofijthe rings 30 of the rollerfinclining toward the higher portion 26 of the corresponding cam surface of each, cam

carrie'rs'QH and 'H is formed with a series of segmental spaces 35"( Fig and through these spaces pass the stops K that .pass also through the slots '36. that are formed iii-"the cam ring F, preferably .at

' points immediately opposite the several high port ons of the working-faces of the. cams.- The segmental spaces 85 are longer than the stops K," so thatthe carriers are shift-able relatively to the stops,'fora purpose to be pr esentl y' stated. Preferably, each of the stops K,is formed of two parts adapted to I interlock. 7 As shown,.(see Figs. 2, l and 5),

each stop K consists of ahead portion formed w th a recess and with an inwardly pro- 'iw a m 9- a W en the partsof the stops are tobe assembled,'the arms will be passed in op-' 'posite direction-through the slots 36 formed F, as -these-Iheads; ,;;are slightly larger than" in the cam-ring, as shown. in Fig. 5, the free 'ends' of the-arm '39 of one part of the stop entering'the recess 38 of the opposite part of the stop; and the heads of the stops will rest upon the-oppos-ite faces of the cam ring .theslots 36i Itwill be observed that when the 'stopfslarei set" in position, upon the cam .rifngas. indicated in- Fig. 5, the slots 36, be-

iii'g longer than the )width of the stops,will

" permit a slightlongitudinal shift or movement of the stops with respect to the cam between thecams and the driven members,

important feature ring.- This-is an important feature, the ad- .l vantage of: which will presently more fully appear. From the foregoing description it will be seen -that- '-thero1le'r.' carriers on opposite sides of 'the -cam ring are movable independently' of each other, and this is a-very presently appear. When the parts are assembled, as shown in the drawings, and are the position; represented in Fig. 2, the 'camsand rolle'rs. are in.

none of therollers are bound or wedged hence, the driven members are free to This'will be the relation-of the parts,

'forzj instance, when the car is coasting with the driving shaft at rest. If, now, motion is imparted from the engine to the driving shaft and the gear wheel B to propel the car in forward direction, the cam" ring :13 will be turned in the direction of the arrow (Fig.

4) and. the cams from the position 'jpositionshown in is'thus shifted,

23 and 24 will be shifted Fig. 4. As'the camring the frictional engagement of the roller carriers H and H5 with the driven E and E,fand the drag or fricmembers Qtion of the lubricant within the casing, will initially retard the'movement' of theroller carriers and rollers, with the result that the large central roller G of.each group and the smaller roller g at theleft-hand side. thereof my invention, as will such position that shown in Fig. 2, to the.

' cure-1y held in the position of (Fig. 4) 'will'be wedged between' the part.

and the oppositepart of the'driven mem- 'ber, while the roller 9 of each group at the right-hand of the central roller G will be free; to revolve. As the cam ring F isthus initiallymoved, there will be a slight relative movement between the cam ring and the stops K, because of the lost motion connec-' tion between these parts due to the fact that the slots 36 of thecamring are longer than those parts of the stops that pass through these slots be brought toward, orsomewhat nearer, the left-handend faces of the slots 36 of the cam ring, while a wider open space will occur between the rightrhand end faces of the slots 36 and the adjacent portionsof the Consequently, as the cam ring is initially shifted, the stops K will stops K. It will be seen also that, because of the slight retarding of the roller carriers as the cam ring is initially shifted, the projectin'g arms 31 of each roller carrier H and.

H" will be brought against, or approxiinately against, the right-hand end of each attached to the inner end of the left-hand axle section will travel at a faster speed than the inner or right-hand drivenmember. Consequently, the left-hand driven member 21 will travel faster than the cam ring F. As the speed of the left-hand driven I 'member is thus initially, increased, the effect will be to release the grip or wedging action between the outer rim 21 of this driven member, and the rollers G and g, and this is permitted because, with my present invention, the roller carriers are movable inde pendently of each other.

During the initial movement of the lefthand driven member at higher speed than that of the right-hand driven member,'the roller carrier H will be shifted slightly to bring its arms 82 against the stops K. These stops, therefore, serve to prevent any such movement toward the right, of the roller carrier H and its groups of rollers, as would tend to wedge the large roller G and the smaller roller g at the right thereof, between the, righthand raised portion '27 of thecam 2i and the outer portion '21 of the leftdiand driving member. W'hen the driven members E at different speeds, the stops K will be se- (indicated in Fig.

and E are thus traveling 4) toward the left of the slots 36, because these stops will 'atsu'ch time bear against and beheld by the arms 31' of the roller carrier within the driven member traveling at the slower. speed. Hence,.the roller carrier and the rollers of the faster traveling driven member will be arrested by the stops K. be-

- in g driven member are freeto revolve.

will be understood. of course. that when the.

fore the rollersrof such driven member can come intowedging engagement with the raised p'ortion' 27of the'opposi'ng cam; and, therefore. the rollers within the faster mov- 'car'resumes travel in straight direction, the

position 'of'the parts at both sides of'thecam will be'as indicated in 'Fig. 4:- of the drawings,

As thespeedof the left-hand drivenmember slows down to the speed of the righthand driven member. the frictional engagement between the left-hand driven member and the roller carrier II will retard the roller carrier H" and the arms of this roller carrier will hold the several groups of rollers in proper relative position to permit the immediate engagement with the rollers of the several cam faces. Inasmuch as the roller carriers H and H are shiftable indopendent of each other. I am enabled to closely assemble the rollers inleach carrier so that the retarding or shifting of the roller carrier promptly and accurately brings its rollers into either wedging or freeposition. The rollers being thus compelled to follow with certainty the movements of the roller carriers. all danger of the uncertain action of the rollersincident to the movement dependent of the carriers, is, avoided.

It is manifestthat the details of construc tion above set out may be varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, for example, other sonmovement course. that the parts which effectively serve. as carriers for the rollers are the inwardly suitable :torms of .carriers for the) rollers might be employed, and, it is not essential that the carriers 'for the several groups 0 rollers should be connected together by the rings 30. although I prefer to so connect the carriers to the rings, or formflthe carriers as parts of the rings. to bet-terinsure their uni It will be "understood, of

projecting arms 31 and 32-. united together by the portions of the rings 30 that extend between such arms and'opposite the rollers.

. So. also. while I have illustrated my invention as applied-toe driving member having a double camconnected therewith, features of the invention may be employed, even. if a single cam and corresponding driven member were used. Obviously, the shape of the faces of the cams may be varied,although I preferthe construction shown in which each of the cams is formed with a plurahty of wedging surfaces having reversely (lisp driving member. rollers interposed between said cam and said driven member, a carrier for said rollers, and a stop movable with respect to said carrier and connected to said driving member for determining the movement of said rollers.

- A power transmission mechanism comprising in combination, adriving member,

a drlven member, -a cam connected to said driving member, rollers interposed between said carrier and said driven member, a carrier for 'said rollersand a stop movable with respect to said carrien-said stop being shiftablyconnected to said driving member, for

determining the movement of said rollers. v

3. A power transmission mechanism comprising in combination. a driving member.

secure by Lettwo driven members, two' cams connected to.

the driving member, rollers interposed between said cams. and said driven members,

carriers for said rollers, the carrier for the rollers engaged by one cam being movable independently of the carrier for the rollers engaged'by the other cam, and stops connected to said driving membenfordetermining the movement of said rollers.

4. 'A power transmission mechanism comprisingin combination, a driving member,

two driven members, two cams connected to the (lI'lVlDg member, groups of rollers lnterposed between said cams and'said drivenf members, carriers for the groups of rollers,

the carrier for the rollers engaged by one cam being mpvable independently of the f carrier for the rollers engaged by the other cam, and stops connected to said driving member by lost motion connection for deterv mining the movement of said rollers.

-5. Apower transmission mechanism comprising in combination, a driving member, two drivenmembers, cams located upon 0p 'posite sides of the driving member, rollers interposed between said cams and said driven members, suitable carriers for said rollers, the carrier for the rollers-engaged by one cam being movable independently of the carrier for the rollers engaged by the other cam, and stops" movable independently of the carriers, said stops being connected to the. driving member.

6. A power transmission mechanism comprising in combinatioma driving member,-

two driven members, cams located upon op posite sides of the driving member, rollers interposed between said cams and sand termmm g driven members, suitable carriers for said rollers, the carrier for the rollers engaged by one cam being movable independently of the carrier for the rollers engaged by the other cam, and stops movable independently of the carriers, said stops extending between the two carriers and being loosely connected to the driving member.

I. A power transmission mechanism'comprising-1n combination, a drlving member,

two driven members, two cams connected to the driving member, rollers interposed between said cams and said driving members,

carriers for said rollers, the carrier for themembers, two cams connected to the driving member, rollers interposed between said cams and said driving members, carriers for said rollers, the carrier for the rollers engaged by one cam being movable independently. of the carrier for the rollers engaged by the other cam, and stops passing through Copies of patent maybe obtained for the driven member," individual grou the slots of said driving members for determining the movement-of said rollers.

9. A power transmission mechanism com prising in combination, a driving member, two driven members, two cams connected to s of rollers arranged opposite the faces 0 each group closely together, the carrierfor the rollers engaged byone cam bein movable independently of the carrier En the rollers" engaged by the other cam, and stops movable with respect to said carriers and connected to the driving member.

10. A power transmission mechanism comprising in combination, a driving member,

a driven member,- a cam connected with said driving member, a group of rollers intersaid cams, carriers for retalmng the rollers of posed between said cam and said driven member, said group comprising a centrally located roller of larger diameter than the rollers at the sides thereof, a carrier for said rollers, and means connected to said driving member for determining the movement 0 said rollers.

JOHN VALENTINE. lVitnesses GEORGE P. Frsmzn, KATHARIXE GERLACH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington, D. C. 

